Flower-stand



(No Model.) M. E STEPHENSON.

V FLOWER STAND. N0. 319.339. Patented June 2, 1885.

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M. ELMER STEPHENSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLOWER-STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,339, dated June 2, 1885.

Application filed December 24, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, M. ELMER STEPHENSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flower-Stands; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains'to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved flower-stand,with dotted lines indicating the reversed position of the same. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through one of the shelves or brackets and the support for the same. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line w 00 in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a side view of the complete device, showing the shelves arranged in a horizontal position.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to flower brackets or stands; and it has for its object to produce a device in which the supporting-shelves shall be mounted upon a pair of swinging arms, which may be reversed, so as to reverse the relative upper and lower {positions of the end and adjoining shelves.

The invention consists in the improved construction of the device, whereby it is made separable, so as to enable it to be packed in a small space for transportation, or when not in use.

The invention further, and finally, consists in the improved construction and arrangement of the details of the same, having for their object to produce a device which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efficiency, as will be hereinafter fully, described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, A A designate a pair of side pieces or brackets, having legs that rest upon the floor, and connected detachably by a brace, 13, near the bottom, secured transversely between the said side pieces by means of screws 0 O entering through the ends of the same. The tops of said legs are horizontal, and connected by one of the shelves, as described below. The shelf thus does double duty as brace and shelf.

To the inner side of each of the side pieces, A A, is pivoted a pair of arms, D D, parallel to each other, and provided with brackets E E, pivoted vertically to their outer sides, and provided at their upper edges'with longitudinal dovetailed flanges F F. The lower ends of the brackets E E, being pivoted to each of the pivoted arms D D, will retain a vertical position at any position to which the said arms may be adjusted.

Boards or shelves are provided, the under sides of which,near their ends, have dovetailed grooves G G, adapted to fit over the flangesF 1" of the brackets E -E. These grooves and flanges serve to keep the boards in place, and also serve to brace the stand laterally, and thus enable the stand to be put together with the fewest possible pieces, and still preserve the requisite strength. The said boards or shelves (which are designated by letters H H) are thus made adjustable and detachable from the device, so that a greater or larger number of shelves may be used, according to the numbers and sizes of {flower-pots or other devices which it is desired to exhibit.

A hook or hooks (designated by letters K are to be employed for the purpose of retaining the swinging beams in any position to which they may be adjusted.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention will be readily understood.

The construction is simple and inexpensive. The device may be readily taken apart for adjustment or transportation, the shelves being detachable by simply sliding them off their supports, and the frame being likewise read ily separable.

When the device is used as a flower-stand, which is its primary intention, the stand may be easily adjusted and reversed for purposes of exhibition, watering, arranging, and the like; but the device is equally useful and efficient for a variety of other purposes-such as, for instance, an exhibition-stand for showwindows, which enables such windows to be dressed from the inside, reserving, of course,

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the fact that articles to be exhibited should be arranged separately upon the separate shelves. The device will be found useful and efficient for many other purposes which will readily suggest themselves.

I am aware that displaystands have been constructed with parallel frames, having two of the pieces of each frame pivoted at their centers to an upright stand, and I do not claim such construction; but 1 I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The c0mbination,with two upright legs, the tops of which are horizontal and provided with dovetailed flanges, of a horizontal shelf having dovetailed grooves on its under side, near its ends, engaging with and connecting the tops of said legs, a brace connecting said legs near their bottoms, two pairs of parallel arms pivoted at their centers tosaid legs, a number of bracket-shelves pivotally secured to said arms, and means for retaining said arms in an inclined or a horizontal position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with two upright legs having horizontal dovetailed tops, and connected at their bottoms by aremovable brace, of two pairs of parallel arms centrally pivoted to said legs,a number of vertical brackets pivoted to said arms, having their tops horizontal and dovetailed,a number of shelves having dovetailed grooves near their ends, fitting on the tops of said brackets and legs, and a hook secured to the said legs, to engage with pins in said parallel arms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

M. ELMER STEPHENSON.

Witnesses: 4

JOHN E. WETHERBEE, J OSEPH M. HART. 

